An Emerging Challenge for All Organizations
Supply Versus Demand of Cyber Talent
There is no shortage of cyber jobs in the market, but there is a shortage of cyber talent to address the gap in this industry crisis. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, it is projected that there will be an estimated 3.4 million unfilled positions in the industry by 2021. However, the problem is more than empty seats, but a lack of the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities. As a result, organizations are unable to effectively respond to threats. According to Bluefin:
Training Future Cyber Professionals
Summer 2018 IBSS Internship Program
IBSS addresses the lack of talent by providing a comprehensive internship program, drawing on talented candidates providing hands-on experience with modern cybersecurity technologies.We selected Tsione Haile, a junior computer science student at the University of Maryland, and Michael Yu, a senior at Thomas S. Wootton High School.
Instilling Hands-on Experience
The interns implemented a vulnerability scanning and flaw remediation solution using the Tenable.io Cyber Exposure Platform and Splunk, a security event analysis capability. Since these technologies are widely used by our clients and throughout the Federal cybersecurity landscape, the skills they learned would transfer directly to the workplace. Over eight weeks, the interns developed and deployed these technologies through four stages:
Additionally, the interns were also introduced to broader concepts including the NIST Risk Management Framework and Incident Response methods demonstrating how the technologies play a role in a comprehensive cybersecurity program. Other activities were incorporated to help develop professionally including documentation and presentation exercises for written and oral communications, team building and collaboration, a stress management workshop, and a community service project organized and executed by all of our corporate interns.
“The success of the program exceeded my expectations in every respect. The interns received hands-on experience with cutting edge technologies, methods, and frameworks that they can directly apply in their future academic and professional endeavors. Overall, this internship program has benefited all the parties involved in ways that we didn’t even imagine at its onset.” – Eirik Cooper, Director of Cybersecurity at IBSS
Organizational Impact
Within weeks, they had functioning solutions scanning and monitoring our corporate IT resources, which provided our engineers with near real-time information to assist in securing those resources. These established technologies also helped us meet various compliance requirements and initiatives including NIST SP 800-171 – Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations. Their contributions and work continue to benefit IBSS in functioning vulnerability scanning and security event analysis capabilities, which we now use on a daily basis to protect our technology resources.
Rethinking Education
Other companies need to engage students in more proactive ways that would equip them with the necessary skills when transferring to the workforce. They should also incorporate work that is This type of learning supplements what is being taught in colleges. Moreover, programs should include other activities that will help the candidate be well-rounded such as written, oral, and collaboration, and communicative skills.
About IBSS
Since 1992, IBSS has provided specialized professional and technical, cybersecurity, IT, and software engineering solutions to the Federal sector. Our clients include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). We are committed to serving our clients and employees by delivering service excellence, creating value through technology, and continually improving our skills, services, and processes. Moreover, we maintain an ISO 9001:2015 certification which allows us to optimize current industry best practices to enhance delivery outcomes for our clients.
